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Afterlife Forums is an online, interactive community designed to give seekers direct access to prominent researchers, to afterlife literature, and to one another in order to foster both spiritual growth and public interest in life after death.

Steve's ponderings

Hi Everyone. I am new to the site but not to the knowledge of the afterlife. I have a dilemma that I would like to hear other (like thinking) peoples' opinions on.
I have a good friend who I have had a disagreement with over an interesting point. I have been open with him about my beliefs since I had my awakening to spirit about 14 years ago. He always acted fascinated when I'd tell him about my various sittings with mediums both mental and physical & other spiritual ceremonies I have attended. He has now even had some positive experiences himself with a couple of mediums.
I have noticed over the years that he refers to himself on Facebook as an atheist. The last time he called me to hear about my recent experience...I ignored him for about a month before finally telling him that I didn't call him back to talk about my reading because I think he's a hypocrite and just didn't really want to discuss it with him. I don't see how he can believe what I have related to him & what he has actually now seen for himself, and NOT believe in god?
I have explained to him that the creative/loving/intelligent source of life is god...not a person or any deity that religions have been written about. That without it there would be no life...just like a light-bulb is dead without the electricity to light it up. This is glaringly obvious to me...
Anyway, I seek other peoples opinions on this. Can we believe in the afterlife/spirit/communication/etc...and still be Atheist?
Thanks in advance for your input
Steve

"Can we believe in the afterlife/spirit/communication/etc...and still be Atheist?"

Yes, absolutely. Belief in a god/deity is not necessary in order to believe in an afterlife. Now, belief in one is often accompanied by belief in the other, but there are also plenty of people who believe in the existence of an afterlife but not in the existence of a god/deity.

It is quite possible that your friend is an atheist who believes in the existence of some sort of afterlife.

If folk accept survival and the so-called afterlife they can be an atheist or anything else they wish as far as I'm concerned. It wouldn't matter a jot to me - for me the former is much more important than the latter..

Like bluebird I see no difficulty in accepting there's an afterlife without believing in a god even though that's not my personal approach. And maybe in time his acceptance of the one will lead to a different perspective of the other; maybe in time he'll come to accept that one without the other makes little sense. And maybe not but I'd hate for a difference of approach about God to sour a friendship.

That he's interested enough to contact you to ask about some recent experience suggests (edit) to me he's a person who cares and not a hypocrite.